Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0007639, Sat, 15 Mar 2003 13:59:05 -0800

Subject
Fw: new member& MARY
Date
Body
EDNOTE. See below
----- Original Message -----
From: "Aidan Harman" <aodhar@eircom.net>
To: "NABOKV-L" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>

> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (20
lines) ------------------
> As a new member of the list may I offer the following.
>
> I have just read, and enjoyed, Jane Grayson's biography of Nabokov in the
> Penguin Illustrated lives Series.
>
> The delight of the book lies as much in the illustrations as in the text,
> which, while brief, seems to me to cover the main areas of VN's life
clearly
> and well.
>
> I have also placed an order for VN's first novel, 'Mary', and his letters
> edited by his son. When I get these I will have all of VN in English,
apart
> from 'Nabokov's Butterflies', which, as of now, does not tempt me.
>
> My plan is to read (re-read in some cases) VN in chronological order. I
know
> that I missed some of the subtleties when I first read him.
>
> I hope to find guidance and suggestions from older hands on the list.
>
> Regards,
> Aidan Harman
--------------------------------
EDNOTE. Welcome to the list! Yes, I agree that Jane Grayson's short book on
VN is an ideal introduction. The many pictures give a sense of VN's world
that words alone cannot provide. As for MARY, I hope many others will read
it along with you and offer their thoughts and queries. I would add that the
Nabokov Society web site ZEMBLA offers a nicely done "short course" on MARY
worked up by editor Jeff Edmunds.